The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and, more specifically, to an image processing apparatus for processing a color image having secrecy or confidentiality.
In order to provide copy limit information to image data output from an image reader, the following method is normally adopted. That is, read prohibition information is added to image data when the image data is stored, and to read access of the image data is limited unless a read enable condition presented by the read prohibition information is satisfied, thereby prohibiting the image data from being copied.
When an objective image is character information or a binary image, since only limited methods are available to output it the conventional method is effective. However, in recent years, the mainstream of image data processing involves color image data having a large information volume, and there are various kinds of secret information. For this reason, the above-mentioned method is insufficient. For example, in the case of a color image whose color information (but not necessarily luminance information) it is desired to keep highly secret. When the copying of the color image itself is completely prohibited #availability and usefulness of the color image data are undesirably limited.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an image processing apparatus which executes image processing and copying of image data without deterioration of image data other than color information, in color image data.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, according to the present invention, there is provided an image processing apparatus comprising means for inputting predetermined identification information, means for inputting attribute information for limiting outputting of image data, storage means for storing input image data, the identification information, and the attribute information in correspondence with each other, means for comparing newly input identification information with the identification information stored in the storage means, and data output means for controlling the outputting of the image data according to a comparison result and the attribute information.
According to the present invention, there is also provided an image processing apparatus comprising a plurality of image copying means for copying input image data, means for inputting identification information for identifying the plurality of image copying means, selection means for selecting one of a plurality of pieces of attribute information prepared in advance and associated with a copy limit relating to the image data, storage means for storing input image data, the identification information, and the attribute information in correspondence with each other, means for comparing newly input identification information with the identification information stored in the storage means, and data output means for controlling the outputting of the image data from each of the plurality of image copying means according to a comparison result and the attribute information.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures thereof.